Retired ballerina Misty Copeland has responded to Timothée Chalamet's controversial remarks about the ballet and opera.
The Marty Supreme actor has come under fire online and from the performing arts community for claiming that ballet and opera are dying art forms that nobody cares about anymore.
Addressing his comments during a recent panel discussion, the retired American Ballet Theatre dancer began by acknowledging that she was invited to promote Chalamet's movie on Instagram in November by posting a photo of herself in a Marty Supreme jacket.
"First, I have to say that it's very interesting that he invited me to be a part of promoting Marty Supreme with respect to my art form," Copeland said, according to footage on TikTok.
"But I think that it's important that we acknowledge that, yes, this is an art form that's not 'popular' and a part of pop culture as movies are. But that doesn't mean it doesn't have enduring relevance in culture."
Copeland noted that opera and ballet have been around for more than 400 years and insisted that it's a mistake to believe film has more meaning and impact simply because it's more popular.
"That's the work that I've been doing my whole career is to bring more people into it," the dancer continued. "So that people do understand the importance and the relevance of it in our communities and our culture, and you see it reflected everywhere."
She added, "I mean, he wouldn't be an actor and have the opportunities he has as a movie star if it weren't for opera and ballet and their relevance in that medium. So all of these mediums have a space and we shouldn't be comparing them."
Copeland and Chalamet are both expected to attend the 2026 Oscars on Sunday. He will be there as a nominee for Best Actor, while she is set to appear during a performance of Sinners' Oscar-nominated song I Lied to You led by Miles Caton and Raphael Saadiq.
They will be joined on-stage by musicians Bobby Rush, Shaboozey, Alice Smith, Eric Gales, Brittany Howard and Christone 'Kingfish' Ingram and Sinners stars Buddy Guy, Jayme Lawson and Li Jun Li.
The 2026 Academy Awards, which will be held at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, will also feature a performance of the Oscar-nominated song Golden by EJAE, Audrey Nuna, and Rei Ami from KPop Demon Hunters.
